Severe Weather Threat Including Tornadoes Increasing in North Alabama

By Jim Stefkovich, Meteorologist, Alabama Emergency Management Agency  

CLANTON – Wednesday, 1:00 pm August 9, 2023

…Severe weather threat including tornadoes increasing north of I-20….

Two waves of storms are still forecast to affect the state this afternoon and overnight, with the greatest threat and coverage across the northern half.  

A potent upper-level system will move across the region from this afternoon through this evening.  Near and north of I-20, and especially in the Enhanced Risk area shown in the graphic above, a few discrete supercells may develop ahead of a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS).  All modes of severe weather are possible, including tornadoes.  Damaging straight-line winds could reach 70 mph very large hail and torrential rainfall could also occur.  The SPC is considering a Tornado Watch for north Alabama as of late this morning.

South of a Tuscaloosa to Talladega line, a few thunderstorms are forecast, and a couple of damaging wind gusts are possible, but this will be isolated, and many locations will remain dry through this evening.  

Then, another line of storms will enter the northern sections of the state around 12 am and move slowly southward during the night.  Latest model data shows this could be another round of significant weather with pockets of damaging wind gusts and a couple of tornadoes generally north of I-20 prior to 8 am.

It is critical you have at least two methods to receive severe weather warnings through tonight, one of which is NOT an outdoor warning siren.  

A few storms across the northern 2/3 of the state may produce a couple of damaging wind gusts Thursday afternoon into early evening, but widespread severe weather is not currently forecast.